Press for crushing cans



Patented Aug. 20, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,212,042 PREss son oansnnre CANS John L. Ross, Cowan, Tenn.

Application April 15,

' 1 Claim.

My invention relates to presses and more particularly to presses for crushing cans and the like driven by compressed air. g

In recent years, it has become the practice in the auto and oil industry, to dispense lubricating oils from cans, usually of the quart size. The empty cans quickly accumulate at the garage or filling station and soon present the problem of housing or storing such cans. These empty cans 10 are very light, consume a considerable space and make it impossible to accumulate in any reasonablespace a sufficient weight of metal for salvage purposes. The expense of dispensing of the empty cans soon becomes appreciable.

Applicant with a knowledge of these problems has; as an object of his invention, the providing of a press which is operable from the ordinary compressed air apparatus maintained in the usual filling station and garage, for crushing said cans so that they may be stored in a small space.

In this way, a considerable weight of metal may be accumulated, time and expense of transporting the cans to a dump pile eliminated, and some salvage value realized therefrom.

I am aware that presses have been used in the prior art for various purposes. The old patent to Rymer, 38,606, discloses a hydraulic press utilizing a threaded piston and a nut mounted thereon for maintaining the piston in elevated position.

Stucky, 212,823, shows another form of hydraulic press which is used for baling cotton while Pickett, 969,720, shows a press for compressing cans mounted on a vehicle and adapted to be driven through a gear mechanism responsive to the movement of the vehicle itself, or responsive to the invention or motor thereof.

The use of a hydraulic press for crushing cans would, of course, be out of the question. It would necessitate reservoirs for containing the fluid and pumps for forcing it into and out of the cylinder. The operation would be too slow and the power produced too great. There is also the problem of fluid leakage from the cylinder with its tendency to injure objects with which it comes into 'con- 5 tact. Likewise, the use of the press of Pickett must always be in connection with a vehicle or engine. Furthermore, the use of a cylinder into which a can is to be inserted limits the size of the can, and prevents such can from spreading during the crushing operation, thereby resisting such crushing and increasing the power requirements of the press.

It is another object of applicants invention to provide a press with a moving table mounted. on

a piston operable by compressed air. The piston 'by screw threads, sweating or other appropriate 1938, Serial No. 202,34

moves towards a stationary member and the can is interposed between the moving table and a stationary member and is crushed by engagement with them. The moving table and the stationary member are large and permit the can. to spread 5 as it is compressed. After the can is compressed, and the air pressure is released and the table is permitted to return to normal position by action of gravity. Applicant has, as another object of his invention, the provision of a press for crush 1 ing the can, then disengaging the chuck, releasing the air and allowing the moving table to fall back to normal position.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following specification and 15 accompanying drawing, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out inthe annexed claim.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side elevation in section of one form of my improved press. Figure 20 2 is a planned view, partly in section of the same press, taken along the line of2- 2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail of aportion of my improved press showing another form of valve for controlling the air supplied tothe cylinder. i 25 Referring. to the drawing in detail, one designates a press upon which is mounted four rods which are attached to the press screw-threaded portions 23. A stationary member 3 is carried by the upper ends of rods 4. The reduced ends of these rods project through openings in the stationary member 3 permitting nuts 24 to be applied thereto, maintaining it against relative movement.

Disposed within said rods and projecting up- 35 wardly from press i is cylinder casing 5, which is preferably formed integral with such press. Within the casing 5 is a piston 1, having a packing element 8 of rubber, leather, or other appropriate material secured to the lower end thereof by means of a metal retainer or cup element 9 through which stud Ill passes and. seats in a screw threaded socket in the piston 1. Seated in the other end of the piston- 1 and secured thereto means, is a piston rod 6 whose upper end is in turn 5 seated in a movable table 2 having portions telescoped about the rods 4 and freely slidable thereon. The piston rod 6 may be secured tothe table 2 by sweating, screw-threading, etc. 50

For the purpose of letting air into the cylinder, a bore I I is formed in the base I and terminates the one edge of the base in a screw threaded out look into which is inserted a plug 22. Leading into the bore II is a transverse opening which 55 is adapted to receive a tube I2. Mounted on one of the arms 4 of brackets I6 which carry rod I3, whose end terminates in a socket IT. The lower end of this socket or the socket in itself entirely may be made of rubber or other appropriate material.

Seated in the socket I1 and rigidly mounted therein is a sleeve I9 whose upper end forms a valve seat. Disposed within the sleeve I9 is a valve stem I8 having a T portion in its lower and a valve at its upper end. Disposed about the stem, I8, is a coiled spring 28 for pressing the valve against its seat in the sleeve I9. Leading into the socket I1 is a tube I joining an air supply or rubber hose 2 I.

Formed on the other end of the rod I3 is a handle I5. Interposed between the upper bracket I6 and the handle I5 is a coiled spring I4 which maintains the socket I! from disengagement with the tube I2.

The operation of the press is somewhat as follows:

The can to be crushed is set upon the moving table 2. The handle I5 is pressed downwardly to overcome the force of the spring I4, bringing the T of the valve stem I8 into engagement with tube I2. This unseats the valve and permits air to flow through hose 2|, socket II, tube I2 and bore I I to the cylinder casing 5. This air acts upon the lower end of the piston I moving it upwardly to the dotted line position in Figure 1. The movement of piston I upwardly carries table 2 in the same direction causing the can to be engaged between stationary member 3 and moving table 2 exerting a force upon the can and gradually crushing it as table 2 approaches stationary member 3. Before the table 2 reaches the dotted line in position of Figure 1 the can is crushed. l I

When this is accomplished, handle I5 is released and socket I! is disengaged from tube I2 by the actionof spring I4 which moves the rod I3 upwardly. This engagement of socket I! from tube I2 permits spring 20 to return the valve to its seat in sleeve I9, thereby blowing the air supply from hose 2|.

The air in casing 5 is now permitted to flow out through bore II and tube I2, and the action of gravity returns the moving table to its normal position.

It is to be understood that the packing element 8 performs its usual function of preventing air from escaping around the valves of the piston I and, if it is desired, a cover may be applied to the upper end of cylinder casing 5 to close it.

In lieu of the chuck, applicant may substitute a three way valve as shown in Figure 3. This is done by simply disconnecting tube I2 and substituting tube I2 therefor. The bracket I6, rod I3, socket I1, and other associated parts are dispensed with. The valve casing 25 is secured to the tube I 2' through a screw-threaded portion. The hose 2| is disconnected and a new hose 2I is screwed into or otherwise connected to the valve casing 25. When the valve is in the position shown in Figure 3 air passes through hose connection 2|, passage 21 of valve 26 to and through tube I 2'. This operates the piston. If the valve 26 is turned 90 degrees counterclockwise, the supply of air through hose 2 I is blocked and air from tube I2 flows through passage 28 into passage 21 and out port 29 of the valve casing. In this way, it is only necessary to turn the valve back and forth to connect and release the air.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A press of the character described comprising a base, astationary member, standards projecting upwardly from the base for supporting the stationary member, a moving table interposed between the base and stationary member, means for moving said table towards said stationary member including a cylinder carried by the base, a piston disposed within said cylinder, means for leading fluid to and away from the cylinder, a valve resiliently mounted on one of said standards and movable into engagement with said fluid leading means to supply fluid to said cylinder to actuate said piston.

JOHN L. ROSS. 

